Web Credibility a global concern for consumers
International Survey

Health, Finance, Price-Comparison Sites provide misleading and Inaccurate Information; Better Practices, Consumer Education Needed

Consumers International, the global federation of more than 250 consumer organizations in 115 countries, and Consumer WebWatch, a U.S. based nonprofit research project with a mission to improve the credibility of online content, today announced findings assessing the credibility of health and finance web sites worldwide, as well as price-comparison sites. The results indicate consumers must use extreme caution when soliciting information from certain sites.

By publicizing the results, Consumers International and Consumer WebWatch hope to provide consumers with tools they need for distinguishing credible information from commercially influenced content.

Web sites investigated by researchers around the world included sites that provide information on health, specifically breast cancer, prostate cancer and allergies; sites providing information on financial services and products such as mortgages and life insurance; and "deal-finder" sites comparing prices on computers, flights and car rental rates.

Consumer WebWatch contributed to the U.S. portion of the study, which was conducted between April and July, 2002, and led by researchers from 13 countries across the globe investigating more than 460 web sites. In addition, Consumer WebWatch has released new credibility data from two studies, one a joint project with Stanford University's Persuasive Technology Lab, the other with Mountain View, California-based Sliced Bread Design, LLC.

Research Highlights from Consumers International's Credibility on the Web study

• 49% of health and financial sites failed to give warnings about the appropriate use of their information. For example, they did not warn consumers searching for health or financial advice that they should consult a professional before acting on advice given.

• At least 50% of sites giving advice on medical and financial matters failed to provide full information about the authority and credentials of the people behind that advice.

• Only 57% of general advice sites gave sources for that advice.

• 39% of sites that collected personal information did not have a privacy policy.

• 62% of sites contained claims that were vague and unspecific.

• 55% of sites said nothing about how up-to-date their content was.

• 30% of sites provided no address or telephone number.

• Only 41% of the sites that recommended products gave sources for their prices.

• 26% of sites gave no clear information about who owned them.

• 60% of sites provided no information that indicated whether or not their content was influenced by commercial interests (e.g. partners, sponsors or advertisers).

"The results of this research are particularly alarming when you consider that the majority of consumers using the web are relying on it for credible information they can trust," said Anna Fielder, director for Consumers International's Office for Developed and Transition Economies. "Consumers are being put at risk by misleading, inaccurate and incomplete information, for example, where they need to seek health or financial help. There is an urgent need for consumers to be alerted to this matter."

A separate U.S.-based study, commissioned by Consumer WebWatch and conducted by Sliced Bread Design, asked experts in the health and financial fields to assess the credibility of sites in their respective areas. Among other conclusions, the Study found that health professionals assign more credibility to health sites that provide information from reputable sources, disclose the names and credentials of authors, and include citations for each article published. Consequently, finance professionals assign more credibility to unbiased sites that provide investors with a great deal of educational information and research, rather than nudging consumers toward their own products or services.

"Together, the Consumers International and Consumer WebWatch research point to some alarming conclusions," said Beau Brendler, director of Consumer WebWatch. 'Internationally, we see a lot of web sites clearly are not playing fair when it comes to separating what is supposed to be objective editorial content from economic concerns, and that sites advising consumers to make decisions about their health and personal finances are not doing a good enough job of citing sources, disclosing bias, or even telling readers where the sites are located and how to reach them.

"Secondarily, the Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab study shows that the average consumer pays much more attention to a site's design than to its content. Consumers need to dig deeper, and web sites need to do a better job of disclosing information that helps them make more informed choices," Brendler said. The Stanford study was led by B.J. Fogg, PhD., head of the university's Persuasive Technology Lab and a member of Consumer WebWatch's 27-person advisory board. Consumer WebWatch Researcher Leslie Marable co-authored both studies, and also participated in the Consumers International study.

As a result of these findings, Consumers International warns consumers to check a site's background before making any decisions based on its content. Consumers International also calls on businesses to work toward justifying consumer confidence by adopting best practices and providing more transparent information.

Consumers International believes governmental organizations can contribute to confidence-building by ensuring that existing laws in the offline world are applied equally online and that existing standards are enforced.

The Consumers International Credibility on the Web study was supported by the DG SANCO of the European Commission.

Consumers International, the global federation of consumer organizations, presented the preliminary findings of this Study, including its recommendations on the OECD Guidelines for Consumer Protection in the Context of Electronic Commerce, to the OECD Consumer Policy Committee in October, 2002. Consumers International is an active participant on this committee and will continue to urge the expansion of the guidelines. Previous research conducted by Consumers International in the area of e-commerce includes an analysis of online dispute resolution, privacy online and shopping surveys on the internet, designed to test current legislation.

Consumer WebWatch launched its web site, which includes its latest research, and its guidelines for improving web site credibility, on April 16, 2002. Consumer WebWatch is a project of Consumers Union, the non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports magazine and ConsumerReports.org. The project is supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts, which invests in ideas that fuel timely action and results; the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which promotes excellence in journalism worldwide and invests in the vitality of 26 U.S. communities; and the Open Society Institute, which encourages debate in areas in which one view of an issue dominates all others.

Yonkers, NY
November 4, 2002